Water leak. Can't locate source.
04-25-2011, 08:33 AM
#1
It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
Thread Starter
Water leak. Can't locate source.
Need some help please in locating a water leak. Have also posted this in rv.net to obtain wider exposure.
I have a 32 foot fifth wheel with the rear living room. Across the rear of the RV, above the rear windows there is a storage area 12" deep and 18" high. For the last few days have had lots of water dripping from just behind the center door. It only drips from the frame of the cabinet. There has been no rain, the roof is dry everywhere and the A/C condensate is nowhere near this place. Of course there are no water lines here either. The entire ceiling is dry too. Can't see any wet areas and the only evidence of water is the constant drip from the cabinet frame. In fact, the drips are increasing to almost a constant run. HELP!
We have had the A/C running almost continuously lately, so wondered if the water could be a result of some form of condensation. Moved the A/C vents so that no cool air blows towards the rear of the R/V, but that has made no difference. The cabinet doors are dry inside and outside, so that sort of rules out condensation. Also left all the cabinet doors open yesterday, but all the happened is that the drips are increasing.
Any suggestions would be appreciated to help me locate the source of this mysterious leak.
I have a 32 foot fifth wheel with the rear living room. Across the rear of the RV, above the rear windows there is a storage area 12" deep and 18" high. For the last few days have had lots of water dripping from just behind the center door. It only drips from the frame of the cabinet. There has been no rain, the roof is dry everywhere and the A/C condensate is nowhere near this place. Of course there are no water lines here either. The entire ceiling is dry too. Can't see any wet areas and the only evidence of water is the constant drip from the cabinet frame. In fact, the drips are increasing to almost a constant run. HELP!
We have had the A/C running almost continuously lately, so wondered if the water could be a result of some form of condensation. Moved the A/C vents so that no cool air blows towards the rear of the R/V, but that has made no difference. The cabinet doors are dry inside and outside, so that sort of rules out condensation. Also left all the cabinet doors open yesterday, but all the happened is that the drips are increasing.
Any suggestions would be appreciated to help me locate the source of this mysterious leak.
04-25-2011, 09:25 AM
#2
Sausage Aficionado (In training)
Stan,
From what I can tell from your post, the water is coming up high at the back of your trailer. Water can and will run a long way inside the roofs of our trailers until it finds a way out. I can only think of 3 sources of water - plumbed water, rain water and AC condensation from the unit itself as opposed to condensation from cold blowing air. I have never seen plumpbed water up high in a trailer, but who knows with newer trailers. To rule this out I would turn off my water pump and de-pressurize water lines. If drips keep happening, it isn't plumbed water. Rain is the next easiest one. If it hasn't rained in days, it probably isn't rain water. If it has rained, there are so many options - around anything on your roof, around the joints between roof and siding, around sliders. I once isolated a roof leak by changing the level of the trailer front to back. made water drain off front of trailer instead of back and finally found my leaks - screws that held siding aluminum to roof aluminum had corroded away because trailer sat under pine trees for years and the rainwater dripping off evergreen trees is very acidic. Seals around roof air and roof vents are a prime candidate for leaking. If you eliminate rain water, then it has to be AC condensation. Is the condensation drain from your roof air plugged with a cocoon or a spider's nest etc, forcing the water to drain out of the ac chassis and down into the trailer somewhere instead of where it is supposed to drain?
You post a lot on here with a lot of good knowledge, so if I spoke down to you - apologoes. Just thought I would share my experience chasing down water leaks into the roof of my 5er.
From what I can tell from your post, the water is coming up high at the back of your trailer. Water can and will run a long way inside the roofs of our trailers until it finds a way out. I can only think of 3 sources of water - plumbed water, rain water and AC condensation from the unit itself as opposed to condensation from cold blowing air. I have never seen plumpbed water up high in a trailer, but who knows with newer trailers. To rule this out I would turn off my water pump and de-pressurize water lines. If drips keep happening, it isn't plumbed water. Rain is the next easiest one. If it hasn't rained in days, it probably isn't rain water. If it has rained, there are so many options - around anything on your roof, around the joints between roof and siding, around sliders. I once isolated a roof leak by changing the level of the trailer front to back. made water drain off front of trailer instead of back and finally found my leaks - screws that held siding aluminum to roof aluminum had corroded away because trailer sat under pine trees for years and the rainwater dripping off evergreen trees is very acidic. Seals around roof air and roof vents are a prime candidate for leaking. If you eliminate rain water, then it has to be AC condensation. Is the condensation drain from your roof air plugged with a cocoon or a spider's nest etc, forcing the water to drain out of the ac chassis and down into the trailer somewhere instead of where it is supposed to drain?
You post a lot on here with a lot of good knowledge, so if I spoke down to you - apologoes. Just thought I would share my experience chasing down water leaks into the roof of my 5er.
04-25-2011, 10:04 AM
#3
It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
Thread Starter
Thanks for the reply. No apologies necessary as I am not proud to look for advice when I need it - which is often.
I know exactly what is inside the roof of this RV and there are NO plumbed water lines there. It has not rained for ages, so that eliminates two of the three possible sources. It has to be condensate water, but where is it getting in and how can it leak from the crown of the roof and not the lower sides? Was just up on the roof and removed the A/C cover, but still can't see anything definitive. So far it is not that hot today and we are going out soon, so have switched the A/C off. Will be home in a few days and then will remove the A/C entirely and look for any evidence of water passage or damming. There are about 11 or 12 rafters between the A/C unit and where it is dripping, so one would expect 11 or 12 barriers to any condensate reaching the peak of the roof at the rear. However, water does strange things sometimes.
The entire roof is about a year old and all the vents, etc are very well sealed, so even when it rains very hard, there are zero water leaks. Maybe I should amend that. About 6 months ago when we were last in VERY heavy rain, there were no leaks. Who knows now?
I know exactly what is inside the roof of this RV and there are NO plumbed water lines there. It has not rained for ages, so that eliminates two of the three possible sources. It has to be condensate water, but where is it getting in and how can it leak from the crown of the roof and not the lower sides? Was just up on the roof and removed the A/C cover, but still can't see anything definitive. So far it is not that hot today and we are going out soon, so have switched the A/C off. Will be home in a few days and then will remove the A/C entirely and look for any evidence of water passage or damming. There are about 11 or 12 rafters between the A/C unit and where it is dripping, so one would expect 11 or 12 barriers to any condensate reaching the peak of the roof at the rear. However, water does strange things sometimes.
The entire roof is about a year old and all the vents, etc are very well sealed, so even when it rains very hard, there are zero water leaks. Maybe I should amend that. About 6 months ago when we were last in VERY heavy rain, there were no leaks. Who knows now?
04-25-2011, 10:23 AM
#4
Top's Younger Twin
Hi Stan, if I recall correctly, a friend of mine had a similar issue. The condensate from his AC was running in between the layers on the roof to the front of his rig and dripping in the front closet. It took awhile to find this. He had to lift his AC up and could see the water line/mark where the water managed to run just under the top layer of his roof.
Prior to this intense investigation he raised the front of the trailer about an inch and the water stopped going to the front and then surfaced at the AC unit and ran off the drivers side. All he did was seal the edge where the AC sat and the problem was solved.
It really sounds like the condensate has found its way in between roof layers above your rafters.
Prior to this intense investigation he raised the front of the trailer about an inch and the water stopped going to the front and then surfaced at the AC unit and ran off the drivers side. All he did was seal the edge where the AC sat and the problem was solved.
It really sounds like the condensate has found its way in between roof layers above your rafters.
04-25-2011, 10:43 AM
#5
It's my pot and I'll stir it if I want to. If you're not careful, I'll stir your's as well!
Thread Starter
Scotty, I have come to the same conclusion, so for the rest of the trip will only run the A/C sparingly and not run it while we are out. Will also leave the windows open and just the A/C fan running. Once I get home will lift the unit up and check underneath. Water sure can do some strange things sometimes.
04-25-2011, 01:51 PM
#7
Administrator/Jarhead
As Scotty suggested, I would change the level of the trailer slightly, if possible.
I would listen to Scotty, he has had a lot of experience in his life... as he piloted the first 5ver... the Arc...
I would listen to Scotty, he has had a lot of experience in his life... as he piloted the first 5ver... the Arc...
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04-25-2011, 11:38 PM
#8
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Loosening the A/C should be easy. Remove the grates and inside covers, which probably just snap on. Look for the fasteners, which maybe a threaded hook, with a nut on it. Loosen all of them and swing the hooks free. This will allow you to slightly lift the unit. It should be sitting on a foam pad that insulates and seals all around the edge of the hole in the roof. This slight lift should allow you to see if the unit is leaking into the layers of roofing/wood/insulation, etc. Might also result if a sudden although short flood (!) if the pan is full
Absolutely, check the drain tube, to see if it is clogged with a spider web (a little white ball) or mold. Also look to see that it is connected at the drain pan end of things. The pan will fill up with nicely chilled water, then overflow into and onto your roof. Changing the tilt of the rig slightly, will not only help diagnose, it can also prevent this sort of thing. I always have a slight tip one way or the other.
If a moldy tube is the problem, after clearing pour some bleach (just a tiny bit) into the pan, and drain tube.
You may have to loosen the shroud, or remove it to check the unit from the top, but underneath is the access to the fasteners. When done make sure they are guttentight.
Absolutely, check the drain tube, to see if it is clogged with a spider web (a little white ball) or mold. Also look to see that it is connected at the drain pan end of things. The pan will fill up with nicely chilled water, then overflow into and onto your roof. Changing the tilt of the rig slightly, will not only help diagnose, it can also prevent this sort of thing. I always have a slight tip one way or the other.
If a moldy tube is the problem, after clearing pour some bleach (just a tiny bit) into the pan, and drain tube.
You may have to loosen the shroud, or remove it to check the unit from the top, but underneath is the access to the fasteners. When done make sure they are guttentight.
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